“Cubs: It’s a Waste of Life”

The Chicago Cubs remind me of a guy in my hometown that used to run for Mayor every year. He never won, but that didn’t stop him from walking door to door, pleading his case for election year after year. You have to admire his tenacity, but it’s still kind of fun to watch him keep losing.

That said, when Draftfcb released the 2010 marketing campaign for the Chicago Cubs yesterday “Cubs: It’s a Way Of Life,” the funny guys got right to work changing the tag-line to reflect the Cubs’ long-ass losing streak.

Chicago Tribune Columnist Rob Manker summed it up best when he wrote “[The Cubs’ new slogan] may need a tweak around mid season, should this one go the way of most. Just change “way” to “waste” and you’re good to go.”

The work is fun, mostly because there’s a cool contest involved. Read more, and check out the ads, after the jump.

The Contest:
Draftfcb and the Chicago Cubs teamed up to give Cubs fans the “chance of a lifetime,” by encouraging them to submit their Cubs=life stories online. The fan with the best story will get the chance to throw out the first pitch at a home game.

Bill McCarthy, Chief of Staff at Draftfcb, explained the reason behind the contest in a press release, saying “The Chicago Cubs experience is unlike any other in baseball. We had a great opportunity with this campaign to evoke the passion and highlight the moments that make being a Cubs fan so unique.” We’d like to read between the lines here, and say McCarthy was talking about moments like losing, losing…and losing.

The Print Ads:
Below, three of the print ads that will run throughout the season.